Power Pro Upgrade

Road Dawg · Post by **Road Dawg** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:24 pm

I've heard and read both good and bad concerning the Power Pro upgrade and have the following questions:

1. Has anyone completed the upgrade themselves and if so, were there any major problems?

2. There were initial reports of the motor overheating - is this true, or has this problem been solved?

3. Are there any other problems or concerns that have surfaced since the upgrade was offered?

4. Is the upgrade actually delivering the performance and benchmarks Shopsmith has reported?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:30 pm

Road Dawg wrote:I've heard and read both good and bad concerning the Power Pro upgrade and have the following questions:

1. Has anyone completed the upgrade themselves and if so, were there any major problems?

2. There were initial reports of the motor overheating - is this true, or has this problem been solved?

3. Are there any other problems or concerns that have surfaced since the upgrade was offered?

4. Is the upgrade actually delivering the performance and benchmarks Shopsmith has reported?

2 - Only after running at 10k for almost an hour!

3 - Some folks here have had 'issues' with the band saw and loose setscrews, but as far as I know, all have been resolved by SS.

4 - I have heard nothing to the contrary

1 - Not done so myself(yet), but others have not mentioned any major problems.

I have not heard any one saying they regret having 'upgraded'.

fredsheldon · Post by **fredsheldon** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:48 pm

Did it myself. No problems, just follow the instructions.

No issues with overheating to date. I have turned 11 inch green logs into bowls with speeds of 250 to begin to 800 to finish.

Have turned 50 pens and 50 letter openers for gifts using speeds up to 8000 to polish with no issues.

Fred

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:58 pm

From YouTube - I'm sold!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQbzEz0-7X0

I'm turning a 350 lb pine log for an architectural replacement in the Townhouse in Strafford Vt. It is 12 feet long and sawn to an octagon 1 foot in diameter. The machine is an old shopsmith with a powerpro upgrade that will turn at 250 RPM, The tool rest is a second shopsmith bed without the power head. More complete details are here-
http://timetofiddle.yolasit...

The drive is on a standard 6" shopsmith face plate but tail stock is unique. A 1" shaft is inserted in a bore in the end of the log and extends into a pillow block bolted to a structural post. This probably constitutes abuse as far as the Shopsmith is concerned but to my amazement it handles it. This is straight off the camera. I have no video editing skills yet.

Link fixed

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:05 pm

youtube link bad.

backhertz · Post by **backhertz** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:59 am

I 've done two upgrades. Having completed mods & written mods for 40 years, I think the PowerPro DIY mod was the best one I've ever completed. Watch the video first. There have been some changes to the mod in the printed instructions for the better. Just have pencil and check off each as you do it. Measure twice; cut once.

1. I had one of the first 10 upgrades. There were 'infant mortality issues which resulted in terrible vibration issues. Shopsmith took care of it under warranty & all is well.

2.My motor never got hot. The top of the belt cover will. It is something that is considered normal. One member, who is a nuclear engineer, came up with a way to improve air circulation. You'll have to search to read his post/thread.

3. On the contrary. On my second upgrade, I found Shopsmith had addressed any concerns/issues. For example the first upgrade didn't include a new power switch; the new one does.

4. I think the upgrade is the best thing since sliced bread.

I recommend you get a shaft guard which is a Mark 7 item. It will protect the idler shaft which has two thin bearings instead of the old water pump bearing. It will also protect anything making contact with a 16,000 RPM spinning idler shaft when the quill is at 10,000 RPM. It's like 3.99 for part # 521889 and use your own hardward with the guard as your template. The new Mark 7 belt cover has threaded holes: http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/prod ... tGuard.pdf

I also recommend you use a surge protector. There are sensitive electronics on the reverse of the display/touch pad that includes the brains- the microprocessor. I think the old Mark V induction motor could withstand a EMP- electromagnetic pulse. I'm not so sure of the Power Pro electronics.

You could always unplug it too, but few places have clean power in which no short-duration voltage spikes aren't present. The Power Pro is expensive. So protect it is my opinion and experience from restoring radar systems after lightning strikes/power surges. A little insurance which is totally up to you.

I have 3 levels of protection in my house. In the main panel, in the subpanel with snap in surge protectors, as well as plug protectors. Why? I've restored many systems where the surges got past the first two levels. I do not have any lightning rods on my home. Good luck & enjoy.

Oh, one difference is I would use a unibit to drill the new power cord hole rather than spend an hour with a round file. Just be careful.

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:43 am

This is for the FWIW department.
I have the factory assembled Power Pro and I love it!!! Did have a few issues with the set screws coming loose but those were resolved. I also have a Delta 46-460 lathe which has the electronic variable speed.
As for the electronics, I always unplug the machines when they are not in use. I live in Florida which is the lightning capital of the US. Also as an added protection tie a couple of overhand knots in the power cord if you leave them plugged in. (put the knots in anyway even if you do not leave them plugged in) The knots form an inductance and therefore a resistance to the EMP pulse and adds a little more protection in the event of a lightning strike.
But unplugging is still the best.
Bill

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:04 pm

Road Dawg wrote:I've heard and read both good and bad concerning the Power Pro upgrade and have the following questions:

1. Has anyone completed the upgrade themselves and if so, were there any major problems?

2. There were initial reports of the motor overheating - is this true, or has this problem been solved?

3. Are there any other problems or concerns that have surfaced since the upgrade was offered?

4. Is the upgrade actually delivering the performance and benchmarks Shopsmith has reported?

Yes I did it, it takes about as long as they say, the hardest part is making the new hole for the power cord.
No overheating I have ever noticed but I don't run it for every long at a time (because I don't need to). I have done a lot of 10K routing but I shut of the motor while changing wood for safety.
Not that I have experienced.
And more especially at 220 volts

Lastly selling off the old stuff dramatically reduces the cost, but there are more parts that need upgrading then are included in the kit, including lift assist and shaper dust collector.

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 3:20 pm

I have been quietly saving up my pennies and am still vacillating between the DIY upgrade and taking the heasdstock down to Dayton (after calling ahead of course). As a quick review, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both ways?

BPR

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 4:55 pm

Ryan
I went for the factory built upgrade so I could keep my old headstock as a spare. There are three other SS in the family and the extra headstock has already been pressed into use while one was rebuilt.
The DIY kit provides more info than does the book that comes with the factory built unit. The PP book is very limited on info but the DIY upgrade manual contains a lot more that could be useful to an owner.
http://shopsmith-tool-hunter.blogspot.com/
You may want to check the above website and see a rebuild from start to finish with about 60 still photos. Very informative I think.
Bill V

Sorry I posted the wrong link. Try this one.
http://www.reviewboard.com/12/3898/shop ... ck-upgrade